Saturday, 19 October 2013

Independent: Dissent in PN over 'Gay Marriage' Bill

PN MPs have aired opposing views on the Civil Union bill during the PN parliamentary group meeting today.

Sources close to the PN told The Malta Independent that some MPs believe that the PN should endorse the bill, while others argued that such a stance would anger the party’s grassroots.

Parliament is set to start discussing the Bill tonight.

Persons affiliated with the PN, who are not members of Parliament, have also expressed diverging opinions on the matter.

MEP hopeful Jean Claude Micallef believes that the Civil Unions Bill is a positive step, both for the LGBT community and for society in general. However, in comments to this portal, Mr Micallef said that the Bill should not impose an imitation of normal marriage on gay people.

His personal opinion is that everyone has a right to feel comfortable in a relationship of his choosing with full respect to society. But society should not enforce the conventional form of marriage on LGBT persons, because they might have different needs and preferences.

He also emphasised that the government should not rush on the matter and do things right on the first try. This should be done to avoid loopholes and unnecessary bureaucracy when the actual law comes into effect. Civil Union should not be a political subject, he added.

Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli this week said that the Bill would give the opportunity to LGBT couples to adopt as a couple, rather than as an individual. Mr Micallef believes that children should come first. “Being able to bear children does not automatically make you a good parent.” The important factor is that good values are put into raising children and that parents provide a nurturing environment.”

Mr Micallef argued that it would have made more sense to pass the cohabitation law first, because soon there would be a situation where gay couples can adopt but straight cohabiting couples can’t.

When asked if he personally agrees with gay marriage, Mr Micallef said that we should concentrate on things step by step, but again insisted that any form of gay marriage should not be an imposition of a clone of the marriage law. “Society should not impose on them the form of marriage they ought to have, but respect their needs. We should respect the authenticity of both gay and straight couples.”

On the other hand, former Parliamentary Secretary and MP Edwin Vassallo thinks that the government is trying to mask what is, essentially, a marriage law. But the PL did not have a mandate to introduce such a law.

Mr Vassallo said that the Civil Union Bill and the Cohabitation Bill will be regulated by the current marriage act. The government will give LGBT persons a marriage law without the title.

He said that people should see the new law for what it is: it is not a civil union law but rather a marriage law under a different name. The PL never promised to introduce a marriage law. “This is not political decency, it is deceit.”

Mr Vassallo wrote that if this is what the Maltese people want, all is good, but the people need to know what is going on, because it is the people who are going to pay the consequences of this deceit.In another post Mr Vassallo said that it should be clear that LGBT people will now be able to adopt children as a couple and will be recognized as such by the law. Whilst everyone has a right to his opinion, those that do not agree have a duty to speak out.

Maltese Gender Identity Law [Transgender / Intersex]

Civil Unions Parliamentary Debate and Vote

Note: The Civil Unions Bill [20/2014] has successfully passed through the Maltese Parliament with 37 votes in favour, 30 absentions and 0 votes against on the 14th April 2014. It gives the same rights and obbligations to same-sex couples as those who are registered in a civil marriage (mutatis mutandis).